An analysis of politeness strategy say nothing and say something in high schoolteacher and student interaction

Zahro', Minna Dzkiyatuz (2026) An analysis of politeness strategy say nothing and say something in high schoolteacher and student interaction. Undergraduate Thesis thesis, UIN K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan.

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Abstract

This study aims to describe the implementation of Say and Say Nothing politeness strategies, and to analyze the contextual factors influencing these choices in junior high school English classroom interactions. Grounded in Brown and Levinson’s (1987) framework and Fadilah et al.’s (2019) concept of strategic silence, this qualitative descriptive case study examines the implementation and influencing factors of Say Something and Say Nothing politeness strategies in junior high school teacherand student interactions. Data collected through classroom observations and semi structured interviews with an English teacher and three students were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that under the Say Something option, the teacher predominantly used Bald on Record for instructional efficiency and Positive Politeness for motivation, while students utilized Negative Politeness and Off Record cues to maintain respect and reduce communication pressure. Under the Say Nothing option, students strategically used absolute silence and Off Record Hinting as an adaptive cognitive window to process grammar and vocabulary. Furthermore, linguistic challenges, fear of making mistakes, and severe peer judgment were the primary factors driving early adolescents to choose silence over speech. The study concludes that classroom interaction is a complex negotiation where transitioning from protective silence to active verbal dialogue heavily depends on consistent teacher validation, adequate processing time, and a supportive feedback environment to neutralize peer pressure.

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